Isn’t it interesting to imagine where the flavour of the delicious cocktail you’re sipping on comes from? We’ve got a bumper edition of Original Origins for you and you won’t be disappointed. So grab a Mojito, sit back and take a journey through time with us as we explore its history.

Mojitos originate from Cuba, the land of beautiful cars and breathtaking beaches. Our Mojitos consist of five main ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, water and mint.

The exact origin of the Mojito is unknown, however the most popular story links back to English sea captain Francis Drake, who carried out the second circumnavigation of the world from 1577 to 1580. In 1586 after his successful raid at Cartagena de Indias, Drake and his crew set sail for Havana but they was an outbreak of dysentery and scurvy on board. Since it was commonly known that the local South American Indians had remedies for various illnesses, Drake sent a small boarding party to Cuba’s shore to receive ingredients for medicine to aid his diseased men.

The remedy was deemed effective and helped to heal many of the men. The men returned to the ship with 4 ingredients; aguardiente de cana (a crude form of rum, which translates as fire water), lime, sugarcane juice and mint. This drink was not initially called a Mojito, but it was the original combination of the ingredients associated with this popular drink.

If you want to be whisked away to the shores of Cuba while in the comfort of your own home remember to pick up your very own Original Iced Cocktail and don’t forget to share your pictures with us.